Australian PM says Chinese missile test could have caused ‘considerable damage’ if weaponised | China

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said China’s weapons test in the Pacific risks fuelling dangerous nuclear proliferation, with the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired on Monday capable of causing “considerable damage” if weaponised.

International condemnation has grown overnight after China’s state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that a “strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead” had been launched from a “strategic nuclear submarine of the navy”.

Speaking during a visit to Solomon Islands, the Australian leader said he was concerned this week’s test, conducted in the wake of a new Pacific treaty alliance, could undermine peace and stability in the region.

The Solomons leader, Matthew Wale, described the incident as “further evidence for the need” for a new regional security pact as Beijing seeks to expand its influence across the Pacific.

Albanese said Australia would continue to express strong concerns to China over any move to destabilise the region or undermine peace.

“The fact that this was a test of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, fired from a nuclear powered submarine, that is of real concern,” he said.

“What we need is a less nuclear weapons, certainly not more.

“Part of the concerns that we will express is the nature of the weapon that was tested that has a capacity clearly to reach at long range and to cause considerable, considerable damage were it to be weaponised.”

Albanese spoke after Independence Day celebrations in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara, and ahead of hosting a trio of Pacific leaders in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Wale said he had registered a “strong protest” directly to China’s ambassador in his role as the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.

“China is a good friend of Solomon Islands. But this is not something a friend does.

“We don’t want to see any more countries – China, America, anybody – testing their ICBM’s in the Pacific Islands region. That’s the bottom line, be our friend but don’t threaten us.”

Officials in Australia and the US said on Tuesday China’s missile test did not comply with international law and was conducted with “insufficient notice” to nearby countries, amid growing international condemnation.

But a Chinese government spokesperson claimed the test was “safe” and part of “routine” military training, telling critics to “not over-interpret it.”

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, according to a translated version of remarks posted on an official government website, said the test launch “is a routine part of China’s annual military training, in accordance with international law and practice, and is not directed against any specific country or target.

“Relevant countries were notified in advance, and it complies with international law and practice. The launch activity was conducted safely, systematically, and professionally throughout. We hope relevant countries will not over-interpret it.”

‘Destabilising event’

The Australian cabinet minister, Pat Conroy, minister for both defence industry and Pacific Island Affairs, pushed back on China’s claims.

Asked in an ABC radio interview about China’s statement that the launch complied with international law and whether he thought that was a correct summary of the incident, Conroy said: “No it’s not, to be honest.

“This has been a destabilising event and certainly has drawn criticism from countries in the Pacific and Asia. Secondly, it’s not consistent with The Hague Convention on ballistic missile testing, which would require more notice and greater information provided to countries,” he said.

“We would continue to call on China to abide by The Hague convention, which provides sort of instructions or guidance on how to do these sorts of tests.”

Conroy wouldn’t say whether Australia had raised objections with China at the ministerial level, but said the countries have “communicated”.

He also criticised China for what he called “insufficient notice” of the test, confirming that notice came only hours before the launch was confirmed. Australian government ministers Penny Wong and Richard Marles gave public confirmation of the warnings from China only a short time before the launch occurred.

Xinhua reported the PLA navy’s statement that the missile was launched “toward relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean” and that it “landed precisely within the designated waters”, but did not give a specific location.

Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s national security council, posted on social media a map purporting to show the missile’s path travelling south-east of China, going over the Philippines and passing Micronesia and Palau, landing south of Nauru.

“It’s a provocation that destabilizes the IndoPacific. China just proved itself again to be a bully on the block,” he wrote.

Tommy Pigott, a US state department spokesperson, said the US wanted China to “engage in meaningful arms control discussions” and commit to a “regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches”.

“Beijing’s rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world,” Pigott said in a statement.

Marles declined to say what Australia’s information was about the location of the missile test, but said it was “not particularly close” to Australia. He also raised concerns about China’s capabilities.

“What we’re seeing here is a long-range missile test from China, which China itself has said is nuclear capable. It’s been launched from a submarine, which also has implications here,” he told ABC TV.

“This is China demonstrating a much greater range in terms of being able to deploy a nuclear weapon.

“Our fundamental issue in relation to China is that we have seen a very dramatic military buildup by China without that strategic reassurance. There really isn’t an explanation as to why they are building the capabilities that they are, and that is fundamentally destabilising.”